* Tenaris and Brazilian energy firm Petrobras were hurt by profit-taking that started overseas, while “the rest of the market is still pressured by the distrust linked to politically motivated losses in the bond market,” said Ruben Pascuali, a trader at Mayoral Bursatil,

* On the broad market, volume was a weak $12.1 million. Of active issues, 28 advanced, 45 declined and 16 were unchanged.

* Farmers’ renewed anti-government protests have increased political uncertainties, along with the government’s bid to move up congressional elections by four months to late June.

* After the markets closed, leaders of the country’s four biggest farm groups announced a week-long commercial strike.

* Argentine bonds shed 1.7 percent on average in local over-the-counter trade, hit by the farmer protests against a new government plan to share revenue from controversial soy export taxes with the provinces.